Product Safety News: Pieces of Metal Found in PetSmart Dog Food

Two months after Cuisinart recalled millions of food processors over concerns that pieces of metal could break off into consumer’s food, PetSmart is recalling their Grreat Choice Adult Dog Food for the same reason. Dog owners are being told to immediately return the Chicken & Rice mix sold at PetSmart stores and online at PetSmart.com, Pet360.com, & PetFoodDirect.com (from October 2016 to February 2017) because pieces of metal have been found in the food. At the time of the recall no injuries were reported.

This is now the third recall over pieces of metal found in consumer products in the last two months. In addition to the PetSmart and Cuisinart recalls, at the end of January 2017 the U.S. Smokeless Tobacco company recalled some of their Skoal, Copenhagen, and Husky dip products after eight consumers reported finding pieces of metal in their tobacco. No injuries were reported, but the complaints came in from six states; Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Texas, and Wisconsin.

Previous Petsmart Recalls

PetSmart is not new to recalls. In December 2015 they recalled Nutro dog treats sold in their stores because they were molding. One month earlier, in November 2015, PetSmart recalled a line of dog chew bones made by the Blue Buffalo Company because they found some contained Salmonella. Those chew bones were sold in November 2015 at PetSmart stores in California, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, and Washington. No illnesses were reported at the time of the recall.

At the end of 2016 PetSmart was forced to pay the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission a $4.25 million penalty for not immediately disclosing a defect in thousands of their Grreat Choice and Top Fin fish bowls, which could cause them to crack. At least 19 incidents have been reported to authorities, including 12 serious injuries. Consumers who purchased PetSmart’s recalled dog food are being told to stop feeding the mix to their pets even if it seems like there’s no metal. PetSmart told authorities that the recall is isolated to lot 1759338. If the best by date, found on the bottom of the 13.2 oz. can, is 8/5/19 consumers should bring the dog food into PetSmart for a full refund.